What does a high risk ob do to prevent preterm labor?

[NicMom]

My regular ob is sending me to a high risk dr to have me evaluated for pre-term labor. I go in at 18 weeks for an ultrasound with the high risk ob. So I'm not really sure what they can do at 18 weeks to prevent the preterm labor issues that I have around 24 + weeks. I thought if you took progesterone shots it had to start by 15 weeks and a cerlage was also done in the first trimester.

IDK seems like this might be a huge waste of time. Does anyone have experience with something like this?? With my first two kids they would treat me after something would happen or go wrong. I guess the idea of treatment before it happens is just confusing. What would they do?

[jtaylor102481]

Well my ob put me on bedrest and once a week shots of something called delalutin sorry about the spelling to prevent any contractions or cramping my cervix is short at 1.9 cm but closed and not dilating this all started at 19 to20 wks and bedrest ***** but I am 25 wks as of tomorrow so I guess its working good luck

[NicMom]

Hum well who knows then. I have tons of contractions all through pregnancy, but my cervix stays long until the very last couple of weeks. My problem is that I have scar tissue that causes uterus growth restriction. I don't think they can do anything about that.

I bet I just end up on bedrest again :-(

Oh one thing I find funny. The ob told me over and over again that your cervix has to get short before it starts to open. YEAH RIGHT! Mine was still long at 3cm and I was dialated to 3cm.

[chantal21]

From my understanding, if you get the shots, they start at 16w and you stop at 36w. But I have also heard of women getting the shots a little later than 16w, somewhere around 20-22w and I have also heard of women getting a cerclage early in the second trimester if needed as well, not just the first trimester. I guess it depends on the doc. This time around, my midwife sent me to the OB and they did absolutely nothing and wouldn't find out about progesterone shots and I have no clue why! It's frustrating really because the retired OB/ now nurse told me that I could have a progesterone problem and it will cause pre-term labor, but no one would look into it! So here I am on bedrest feeling silly, on no medications, hardly any contractions, clueless as to what is really wrong with me. For me, having the scan at 18w showed nothing alarming and a long cervix. It wasn't until I was 24w that things started changing and by that point, they can't do anything anyway. So honestly, I have no clue! The only thing I am doing now, is seeing my midwife once a week until I have the baby and she checks my cervix every time to see if anything is changing. Oh, the only medicine I am taking is an herb called Welcome Womb Tincture.